Rassie relief over Kolisi
SOUTH AFRICA coach Rassie Erasmus was relieved to hear his skipper Siya Kolisi escaped with an official warning from World Rugby for what looked like a backwards headbutt on Scotland’s Peter Horne.
The citing commissioner deemed the incident to be “just short” of a red card and as Erasmus spoke in Cardiff ahead of his side’s final Test of the year against Wales on Saturday, he was thankful the flanker was only reprimanded.
“He is our captain, so to have him available, and to know that on Monday, is good. It normally takes a little bit longer, so we are relieved to have clarity on that and to have him training from today,” said Erasmus.
“It is irrelevant what my view is of the incident because it wouldn’t change anything. I’m glad the guy on the other side is OK and available to play.”
World Rugby claimed there were mitigating circumstances over their decision not to cite Kolisi for the apparent headbutt on Horne, including the fact that the Scot was “illegally preventing Kolisi rejoining play” and the “moderate force of the strike to the head.”
Erasmus added: “I wouldn’t want to get into trouble on the last week of the tour by saying the wrong thing. We have one massive game to play and I’d rather keep our focus.
“As long as there are open channels between us and World Rugby, and it is nice and clear and out there as to why the decision was made, that’s all you can ask.”
Erasmus will not be calling up Sale Sharks scrum-half Faf de Klerk for the Wales clash but is hoping to have giant lock Eben Etzebeth fit to go head-to-head with Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones.
“Wales are on a great run, they’re at home and they’ve had three successful matches. We are desperate to stay in winning ways, so it will be a physical and tactical game,” said Erasmus. “We’ve had three tough matches on tour, and we lost the first to England, but this is going to be the toughest of the four.”
Wales are still waiting on the fitness of Leigh Halfpenny after he was concussed by Aussie centre Samu Kerevi in what many saw as a late and callous charge two weekends ago.